It is a common condition. It is caused by a pelvic organ (bladder, bowel or uterus) bulging down into the vagina because the vaginal fascial supports have been torn- due to for example; child birth, straining as a result of constipation, heavy lifting or coughing. Prolapse may be present without any symptoms or it may cause an obvious bulge along with urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction. Some women will have no other symptoms apart from an inner vaginal bulge, while others complain of lower back ache, lower abdominal, vaginal or groin ache and a feeling of heaviness that gets worse towards the end of the day.

Absolutely! Many women do not have any obvious symptoms but are still at risk of pelvic floor and core dysfunction. Especially women with; habitual poor posture, inactive lifestyle, daily habits of heavy lifting, straining, over challenging exercise and chest disease (asthma, cystic fibrosis etc). Research shows higher rates of pelvic floor dysfunction associated with weak collagen, obesity, diabetes, pregnancy, birth, menopause and aging. Bodyconnect will give you the key knowledge and tools to look after your pelvic floor for life, preventing any future problems. You can have a body that will work better and more harmoniously for you.

There is no research to support this.

The pelvic floor works with your deep abdominal muscle, the diaphragm and your deep spinal muscles to form an internal cylinder that supports your spine. If your pelvic floor is not working properly, whether due to weakness or dysfunction in the form of a substitution pattern (the right muscles are not working at the right time), this can have a negative effect on the spinal stability cylinder. This can mean that your spine is not getting the support from these muscles that it needs, leaving the spine vulnerable to injuries and wear and tear causing back pain.

There is only one thing to do if you suspect that you have rectus diastasis, see a women’s health physio to have a full clinical assessment. There are other musculo-skeletal factors that can affect rectus diastasis, such as pelvis alignment, scar tissue and unhelpful dysfunctional muscle patterns. There is so much material out there that is often misleading, our material here at Bodyconnect is based on up to date research and many, many years of experience. Take the diastasis self-test here and learn everything you need to know about rectus diastasis and what will be the best way to address your diastasis.

You might well be at risk or putting yourself at increased risk of pelvic floor related problems especially if you are doing exercise that is too challenging for your pelvic floor. Sometimes problems can develop without showing obvious symptoms. The only way to be sure of your pelvic floor status is to try the Bodyconnect pelvic floor test. Learn with Bodyconnect how to recognise the warning signs and how to look after your pelvic floor.

When you look for a women’s health physiotherapist make sure they are a member of The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (they will have MCSP) and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) .You can go on the www.csp.org.uk website and search for a specialist women’s health physiotherapist near you.